Monitoring Long-Term In Situ Conditions at Adjacent Dry and Wet MSW Landfill Cells

This paper describes ongoing research into the monitoring of two adjacent landfill cells with different liquids management strategies at an active municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill. One is a conventional dry cell and the other is a wet, or bioreactor, cell. To understand the waste materials behavior and associated geomembrane long-term behavior, the in-situ conditions are needed and how the various parameters change over time. In this regard, measurements have been taken at both cells for approximately 20-years and are continuing. Both dry and wet cells are monitored for changes in gases, leachate, waste and geomembrane temperatures. Knowing this information will allow for making longevity predictions in regard to both solid waste degradation and geosynthetics behavior. In addition, the data gives insight so as to fine-tuning the design-by-function approach for various situations and materials.